Description

These guns were used to arm Germany's first "Dreadnought" type battleships and battlecruisers. The battlecruiser Von der Tann used these weapons to sink HMS Indefatigable at the Battle of Jutland (Skagerrak).

During World War II these guns were used only as coastal artillery. They were then supplied with a lighter shell with a larger propellant charge for increased range.

Constructed of A tube, two layers of hoops and a jacket. Used the Krupp horizontal sliding wedge breech block.

^These guns, like most large caliber German guns of this era, used a "fore charge" which was propellant in a double bag silk case and a "main charge" which was propellant in a brass case. The brass case helped to seal the breech of the gun.

^I lack the breakdown between the fore and main charges for the RPC/38 propellants used after 1942.

Range

World War I

Range with 666 lbs. (302 kg) AP

Elevation

Distance

20 degrees
(maximum elevation of turrets)

20,670 yards (18,900 m)After 1915: 22,310 yards (20,400 m)

World War II

Range with 626 lbs. (284 kg) HE L4,4

Elevation

Distance

49.2 degrees
(maximum elevation as coastal artillery)

40,350 yards (36,900 m)

Armor Penetration

Armor Penetration with 666 lbs. (302 kg) AP

Range

Side Armor

Deck Armor

13,120 yards (12,000 m)

7.9 in (200 mm)

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The above information is from "Die Geschichte der deutschen Schiffsartillerie."

Shell rooms were below the magazines in the battleships. On Von der Tann, the bow and wing turrets had the magazines above the shell rooms but the stern turret had the magazine below the shell room.

Following the Dogger Bank action, German mountings were modified to improve flash precautions. Double flap doors were installed at the beginning and end of the cartridge hoist and ready ammunition was removed from the gun houses.